Burton Ion Boots 2010 Review

Finding the right snowboard is undoubtedly a very important mission, but finding the right pair of boots is just as important. I’ve had 2008 model of the Burton Ion boots for a couple seasons now, but this year I upgraded to the 2010 model.  I wouldn’t normally review a boot, because the feel of one will differ from person to person, but this will offer some light into your dark search for a boot.

Setup: I used the Burton Ion boots with Burton’s T6 snowboard and Burton’s C60 bindings.

Where: Blue Mountain, Mont Tremblant, Banff, Colorado, and Whistler with all kinds of snow conditions.

Technology:

• Speed Zone Lacing: makes loosening and tightening boots very easy.
• Low-profile EST Optimized Midsole: essentially this tech brings you closer to the binding and thus lowering your center of gravity. In my opinion, every little bit counts.
• RX Adjustable Cushioning: Very fancy way of saying that you can change the gel pack used in the boots, but useful nonetheless. You can opt for more cushioning for easier riding, or less cushioning for more aggressive riding.

Pro’s:

• Very easy to put on/take off: The boots’ speed zone lacing combined with the excellent boot quality and build, putting them on and taking them off was very easy. Just loosen them all the way, tighten the liners (the inside layer), and pull away on the two laces. Done.
• Comfortable: Man are these comfortable boots! Strapped and unstrapped, the Burton Ions hug your feet oh so warmly.
• Flexibility: This is an all-mountain freestyle boot and I must say, it lives up to that designation. Burton pegged the Ion a 8/10 for support (1/10 being least stiff and 10/10 stiffest). In other words, these boots are excellent for all around riding. With over a 100 days of riding, my older Burton Ions are (surprisingly) as stiff as new and thus wear n’ tear has not diminished the boots’ excellent responsiveness.
• Style: The Burton Ion 2010 are very well designed, and unlike most boots, they look sexy (I have the black ones, but they also come in white).

Neutral:

• Heel lift: I didn’t want to put this in the Con’s section, simply because I’m a very aggressive rider who likes taking jumps, so heel lift is inevitable. Nonetheless, I still experienced some heel lift, and I really wasn’t expecting any given that the Burton Ions are Burton’s 2nd most expensive snowboarding boots. With that said, the extra ankle support pads that come with the boots work well to decrease the heel lift. However, those pads were designed to be used after a few years of usage, but instead, I had to install them within the first season.

Con’s:

• Expensive: Did the Italians design these boots or what? I bought my first Ions a season old for $250, but I shelled out $400 for the new ’10 model. Boots that cost more than a decent number of snowboards are expensive any way you spin it.
• Too stiff for the park: The Burton Ions are unfriendly when it comes to park play. While taking and landing jumps are doable in these, you’ll feel the pain when you switching and more so when landing switch jumps. Tip: make sure you are wearing thick socks if you insist on park play.

Current Model v.s. Previous Models

• Design has been changed, albeit slightly, but I like the new ones more.
• The current model has been optimized for EST bindings (explained above in the ‘Technology’ section).
• Speed zone lacing system has been altered to easier usability (I didn’t feel much of a difference, but that just could be my experienced hands).
• Changeable gel pack (explained in ‘Technology’ section), which was also available in the ’09 model, but non-existent in prior to that.

My Suggestions to Burton:

• As always, please find it in your hearts to use less fancy ‘BS’ terminology.
• Let’s work on improving the heel lift issue, even if I’m the only one experiencing.

I love my Burton Ion boots, and there’s a reason why I bought the newer models. As an aggressive rider who likes to play around a bit on the mountain, these boots are as good as they get at the moment. With that said, keep in mind that your experience with boots will be different than my experience, so make sure you try them on first at the store. And when you do, feel free to walk around in them in the store for 5-10 minutes before you make a decision. Finding the right snowboarding boots is important!

If you have any questions, comments, or want to share your experience with the boots, leave a comment below or contact us.